About the project

During the Corona pandemic, the need for studies on overcrowding and its consequences has come to the fore. International research shows that overcrowding under normal circumstances has consequences in terms of reduced opportunities for studies, increased conflict areas in the home, and the risk of poorer health. It can also be expressed in the fact that family members choose to spend a lot of time outside the home, which in combination with a lack of appropriate meeting places can contribute to social unrest in residential areas.

During the Corona pandemic, the consequences of overcrowding have been accentuated, not least by the fact that physical proximity constitutes a direct increased spreading effect and the potentially increased pressure on women working at home. In the residential areas where overcrowding is greatest, the pandemic has also hit hardest when the death toll is analyzed per district. Other effects of overcrowding are also amplified in the waves of the Corona pandemic, such as abuse and violence in close relationships. Real estate companies testify to more disturbance reports during the pandemic. However, there is a lack of Swedish studies to understand the effects of overcrowding for the residents, not least from the residents' own perspectives. The issue of overcrowding and its effects is of great interest to research, property management as well as public institutions.

Aim and method

This research project aims to study residents' perceived consequences of overcrowding in apartment buildings. The study combines quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the manifestations and consequences of overcrowding in two residential areas in Malmö. Register data is used to map the official overcrowding in the areas, which is combined with survey and interview studies with residents where the purpose is to, based on their own experiences, understand how overcrowding is manifested, experienced and what consequences it has. These interviews are supplemented by interviews with people who, through their professional role, have knowledge of overcrowding, for example, the staff at schools or libraries.

The study revolves around the following issues:

• How is the overcrowding in the selected residential areas?
• What strategies are developed by the residents to deal with the situations that arise as a consequence of overcrowding?
• What are the social consequences of overcrowding for the individual, for the residential area and for society?

Financers

Municipal property companies